pss0494’s blog

08:03 PM CST on Saturday, December 15, 2007

By Jim Douglas/WFAA-TV

WFAA-TV

Daniel Torres

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[Video] Jim Douglas reports

ARLINGTON - A little boy is about to have a wish come true that he can neither ask for nor understand.

Ten-year-0ld Daniel Torres will receive an unusual gift from the Wish With Wings Foundation but then, he’s in an unusual situation, and so is his mom.

Daniel cannot talk or walk or do anything for himself.

He was born with hydrocephalus - fluid on the brain.

“When he was born they said his prognosis was grim and that he would probably die the day after I took him home,” his mother said.

Daniel is 10 now - much too big for his mother to pick up.

Susan Torres says she can’t do much with him at all anymore because of disk problems in her neck.

They’re scraping by on workman’s comp from the post office.

Their angel is Chidi Onyekanne.

Onyekanne is a full-time college student and full-time helper paid for by the government, but that hardly does her justice.

She spends hours each morning to prepare Daniel for special education class, then spends long evenings doing all the things Daniel’s mother can’t.

“If somebody’s not here to help her, then what is supposed to do, lay on the floor with him or on the bed?” Onyekanne said.

Together, Susan Torres and Onyekanne fight a constant battle for resources for Daniel - a ceiling harness for the house and a lift for the aging SUV.

Despite mounting struggles, they’re buoyed by Daniel’s joy.

He’s especially thrilled by toy lights that flash and move.

He’s in for a big surprise soon.

The Wish With Wings foundation has decided to build Daniel a whole floor that flashes and moves.

He’ll never be able to say thank you and will never need to.

E-mail jdouglas@wfaa.com

This is the start of something big. We are attempting to create something for a awesome guy named Daniel. He is 10 years old and a lot of fun. He also has what is known as “fluid on the brain.” He is not able to see very far, but can hear exceptionally well. Since he cannot see as far or as well as most people he relies on his mom and caretaker from UTA to keep him entertained. Our goal is to start the ball rolling this summer on what should be an amazing, interactive play area for Daniel that can keep him entertained without having constant human interaction, but still be controllable by mom. While it will not reach its full potential by the end of this summer, this play zone will continue to be expanded upon by countless other teams from UTA and elsewhere. In the end, this work may come to be used by many others.

This web log or blog is open to mostly the members of the team, but if anyone happens to find this and wishes to participate as well, then feel free to submit your suggestions.